Sinclair Notes Staples Has No Policy Against Advertising in Sinclair News

[NVMojo]

So I guess we get sued for urging others to boycott Sinclair??


BALTIMORE, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI - News) is pleased to note that in a press release issued on January 6, 2005 and as posted on their website (http://www.staples.com), office supply retailer Staples, Inc. states that it intends to continue to advertise on Sinclair television stations and has no policy against advertising in Sinclair news programming. The Staples' statement also notes that political agendas do not drive its media buying decisions and that its media buying process with Sinclair "has recently been misrepresented by an organization with no affiliation to Staples."

The clarification of Staples' media buying process as it relates to Sinclair directly contradicts statements made by several organizations with what appear to be far-left leaning political agendas who have engaged in an ongoing Internet-based campaign of harassment against Sinclair. Notwithstanding the clear message from Staples, these organizations continue to claim that their actions have caused Staples to discontinue advertising on Sinclair stations. Obviously these claims are not accurate.

Although Sinclair respects the rights of these organizations to voice their opinions, we find inappropriate that their tactics include advocating their constituency to contact our advertisers in a blatant attempt to use economic pressure to censor the speech of Sinclair. Moreover, the continued misrepresentation of the facts surrounding any company's advertising practices regarding Sinclair stations constitutes "trade defamation" which would entitle Sinclair to seek damages in a court of law. Sinclair will aggressively pursue any organization or any individual which engages in such defamation, including individuals who lend their names to mass e-mail campaigns spreading such misinformation.

more...

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050107/phf019_1.html

[ClintonTyree]

1. The word "defamation"coming from Sinclair..............

is somewhat ludicrous.
It's OK to defame a Presidential candidate and ruin his campaign, but don't organize a campaign to put pressure on Sinclair's advertisers. That's defamation.
These ass clowns shouldn't be allowed to own any media outlet. They're blatant hypocrites, they love to dish it out but don't want to be held responsible for their actions. Typical right wings ass clowns.

[LynnTheDem]

2. That's not what Staples told Media Matters IN WRITING. So FU Sinclair

David Brock's letter to the CEO of Staples:

Dear Mr. Sargent:

It has come to my attention from press reports today that Staples, Inc. contends that Media Matters for America misrepresented Staples' decision not to renew advertising on local news programming on Sinclair Broadcast Group stations as of January 10, 2005.

As you may know, taples, Inc. officials reviewed, edited, and approved the Media Matters press release of January 4, 2005, in both draft and final form. That release stated that Staples was not renewing advertising on Sinclair local news programming due in part to concerns registered by visitors to the SinclairAction.com website, which was launched December 14, 2004, to protest the conservative slant of Sinclair's news programming, in particular a nightly conservative commentary called "The Point."

. . . .

On January 4, 2005, Staples, Inc. confirmed these facts both to Media Matters and to reporters. For example, on January 5, 2005, Staples, Inc. spokesman Owen Davis was quoted as telling the Chicago Tribune: "In general, we don't explain decisions regarding our media buys. But we did consider the concerns expressed by our customers with some political partisan programming, specifically 'The Point.'" And also on January 5, 2005, The Washington Post quoted Mr. Davis as saying that "Staples did consider among other factors the concerns expressed by our customers" regarding the content on Sinclair news programs.

. . . .

So, to summarize, Media Matters stated the following in our press release of January 4, 2005: 1) Staples won't be advertising on local news programming on Sinclair stations as of January 10, 2005; and 2) that decision was based in part on the activism generated by SinclairAction.com. Nothing in Staples' "clarification" negates or contradicts either of these two statements.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

David Brock
President and Chief Executive Officer
Media Matters for America

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501070003

[Deadbolt04]

3. hard time

i have a hard time buying this... but who knows

[newyawker99]

4. Hi Deadbolt04!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[InvisibleBallots]

5. Boycott!

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